Tim Harrison, who with his father Craig built White Cross Vets into a 20-practice group across the North East, North West, Yorkshire and the Midlands, has announced plans to launch a new independent practice group. 

Harrison Family Vets opened its first practice earlier this month in Woodley, Reading, in a £350,000 investment that created eight jobs.

The plan is for the next practice to open later this summer in the Midlands, before the group expands north towards the end of the year. The group is now searching for further properties across the north and south of England, with plans to open 75 practices by the end of the decade.

Tim joined his dad's practice in 1995 as General Manager. He later co-founded Vets4Pets in 2001 before joining Mars Inc. to head the overseas growth of Banfield, then the world’s largest veterinary practice. He then rejoined the family business to grow it further, until it was acquired by IVC Evidensia in 2018.

Alongside Tim is operations director, Kristie Faulkner who also worked at White Cross Vets until it was acquired by IVC, whereupon she became regional operations manager, overseeing more than 200 of the IVC's practices across the South East of England.

Between 2012 and 2018, White Cross Vets was repeatedly named as one of the UK’s best employers and a truly extraordinary place to work. The company secured a place in the prestigious ‘Top 100 Sunday Times Best Small Companies to Work For’ league table for seven consecutive years, as well as being the inaugural SPVS Wellbeing Award Winners.  

Tim said: “The whole ethos at Harrison Family Vets is about fostering a culture within our team that sets us apart and differentiates our practice from all others. Every individual’s strengths and personality traits will contribute to what we do, in a family-orientated environment. Our culture is about looking after people. Focus on attracting the very best people and then look after them as much as possible. A successful practice with a fabulous reputation amongst the profession and amongst clients is what automatically follows.

“Our state-of-the-art clinics boast extensive facilities including on-site laboratories, full x-ray suites, operating theatres, ultrasonography and separate dog and cat wards that have been carefully designed with mood lighting, aromas and music to offer a calming atmosphere. 

We’ve also worked hard to create a customer experience that’s more akin to an Apple store, than a traditional veterinary practice. We don’t have a reception desk and instead, our front of house team have the autonomy to freely interact with our clients and their pets.

Our waiting areas feature bespoke pods, which give clients their own space and offer pets privacy, thus shielding them from the stresses of facing other pets in a traditional waiting room. Each pod also has its own tablet where clients can update their details, sign up to our Total Wellness Plan or even order fresh and healthy dog food from Butternut Box.

“Everyone wants to know why we want to start another veterinary group now. For Kristie and I the timing is perfect as there is a clear void to fill. The people-focused independent practice is becoming a thing of the past and is what the profession is yearning for.  This will attract the very best team members which in turn will provide a superior client and pet experience.  

"Creating a successful business and building a fantastic team is incredibly exciting and we genuinely believe Harrison Family Vets can become the most innovative, forward-looking and caring practice, as well as the employer of choice for vets and nurses, in the UK.”

VetSurgeon.org wishes Tim and Kristie all the very best luck in the world with their new venture, although one suspects that they won't need to rely on luck. White Cross under his direction was consistently doing extraordinary things to foster what seemed to be a remarkably good working environment. If they can come close to repeating the formula, or improving on it, they must be on to a winner.  

A new study, conducted by Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) in collaboration with the Waltham Petcare Science Institute, has identified the impact of the pandemic on equine welfare and called for new guidelines for use in the event of future pandemics. 

The objectives of the study¹ were to assess the impact of the pandemic on the management of laminitis susceptible horses and ponies, to identify challenges faced in implementing COVID-19 based guidance, and to ascertain areas of decision making and policy development which could undergo improvement in future pandemic or emergency scenarios. 

Lead author Ashely Ward, a PhD student at SRUC said: "We discovered that lockdown-associated factors had the potential to compromise the welfare of horses and ponies at risk of obesity and laminitis.

“These included: disparate information and guidance, difficulties enacting public health measures in yard environments, and horses having reduced exercise during the pandemic. 

"Our conclusion was that guidelines should be developed for the care of horses and ponies at risk through collaborative input from veterinary and welfare experts. This would help to reduce the negative impacts of future lockdown events in the UK.” 

Clare Barfoot RNutr, Marketing and Research and Development Director at Spillers said: “This work carries important recommendations to reduce equine welfare risks during any future lockdowns.

“This summer our primary focus has been on helping horse owners keep their horses at a healthy weight to reduce the risks associated with obesity, in particular laminitis. Until formal guidelines are developed we hope our range of practical advice, available online and via our Care-Line will help, should there be another lockdown."

The study was conducted in tandem with research looking at how the challenges brought about by the Covid-19 lockdown affected horse on the human/animal interaction. The conclusion, disseminated by SRUC last week, concluded that the coronavirus pandemic had a negative impact on the mental health and wellbeing of horse owners. https://www.sruc.ac.uk/all-news/horse-power-helps-owners-through-lockdown

Reference

1. Ward AB, Stephen K, Argo CM, Harris PA, Watson CA, Neacsu M, et al. (2021) COVID-19 impacts equine welfare: Policy implications for laminitis and obesity. PLoS ONE 16(5): e0252340. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0252340 

IVC Evidensia has launched Equine Vets, a new brand to encompass its network of nearly 300 equine vets. 

IVC says the new brand will allow better communication for equine teams within the IVC Evidensia group as well as collaboration with the wider equine world.

IVC Evidensia Equine Vets range from graduates to European Specialists, working in both dedicated equine and mixed practice, with all practices supported by the four large equine veterinary referral hospitals in the UK: Donnington Grove Veterinary Group, Fyrnwy Equine Group, Oakham Veterinary Hospital and Pool House Equine.

IVC says the brand's mission is to put the welfare of horses at the heart of everything it does, to providing outstanding continuity of care for all equine species and breeds across the network, to be at the forefront of continual professional development, supporting and facilitating the development of clinical and leadership skills across all their equine teams, and to build the leading network for equine veterinary care across Europe.

Richard Stephenson, Chair of the IVC Evidensia Equine Clinical Board, said: "Our network brings together all forms of equine work from ambulatory practice to some of leading UK equine referral centres.

“It gives support to all our staff in their careers. We facilitate clinical development from the graduate academy, through intern training, residencies and training up to European Diplomat level.

“We provide coaching and leadership, flexible roles and friendly, inclusive teams.”

For more information, visit https://www.ivcevidensia.co.uk/Equine or stand B01 at BEVA 2021 congress.

Vetoquinol has initiated a Class I recall of Lydaxx 100 mg/ml solution for injection, an antibiotic for cattle, pigs and sheep.

The company initiated the recall after identifying a potential for the sterility/stability of the product to be compromised due to a crimping problem of the aluminium cap.

The recall is for the 100 ml bottles of the following batch only:

Batch No.0C3829 Expiry Date 03/12/2022

Vetoquinol UK Ltd is contacting veterinary surgeons and veterinary wholesalers to examine inventory immediately and quarantine products subject to this recall.

For further information, contact the Customer Services Department on +44 1280 814500 Option 1 or email: UK_office@vetoquinol.com.

The Journal of Small Animal Practice (JSAP) has published a new study which it says supports the use of weekly proteinuria monitoring during the first month of masitinib treatment for neoplasia.

The study, titled “Development and progression of proteinuria in dogs treated with masitinib for neoplasia: 28 cases (2010 – 2019)”, also suggests that a urine protein: creatinine greater than 0.5 should prompt reassessment within one week.

For the study, the clinical records of 38 dogs referred to a single university teaching hospital between 2010 and 2019 for treatment of neoplasia with masitinib were retrospectively evaluated.

Data was collected at masitinib initiation and at various timepoints following the start of treatment.

Data gathered included the masitinib dose given and any changes to medication administration or dosing since the previous visit, presence of gross disease and the results of haematology and biochemistry profiles, urinalysis and urine cultures.

Urinalysis results were only included if they were performed at a reference laboratory.

At each timepoint, the urine was classified as non-proteinuric (UP:C ≤0.5) or proteinurinc (UP:C >0.5). Proteinuria was then categorised as likely pre-renal, post-renal, physiological renal or pathological renal.

Dogs were grouped based on the presence or absence of proteinuria at baseline. Non-proteinuric dogs were further divided, based on whether proteinuria developed following treatment during the study.

Of the 28 dogs in the study, five were being treated for epitheliotropic lymphoma, one for vulval lymphoma, one for malignant melanoma and 21 for mast cell tumours.

Twenty-two (79%) dogs were non-proteinuric and six were proteinuric at baseline.

Of the dogs that were non-proteinuric at baseline, four (18.2%) developed proteinuria within one month of treatment initiation. Median time to first detection of proteinuria was 14.5 days (range: 13 to 31).

Of the dogs with pre-treatment proteinuria (n=6), masitinib treatment was discontinued due to lack of efficacy in three dogs, and three were euthanased during treatment, two for disease progression and one for an unknown reason.

Dr Margaux Kuijlaars, corresponding author for the paper, said: “Patients developing proteinuria should be investigated to exclude non-renal causes. This should allow for more informed recommendations on the monitoring and management of proteinuria and further masitinib treatment in these patients to be made. Masitinib treatment can be considered in patients with pre-treatment proteinuria and does not inevitably cause worsening of proteinuria.

“The findings of this study add to the evidence base for the use of masitinib in treating neoplasia in small animal patients. The use of masitinib in dogs in this study was off-licence as C-KIT MCT expression was not determined, and many dogs were treated for other tumours.”

Nicola Di Girolamo, Editor of JSAP, said: “Little is known about which dogs are predisposed to becoming proteinuric following treatment with masitinib for neoplasia. Due to the small number of dogs in this study that developed proteinuria, conclusions about predisposing factors cannot be definitely drawn.

"The findings of this study add to the evidence base and demonstrate the need for larger, prospective trials including a control population and longer period of follow-up.”

The full article can be found in the August issue of the Journal of Small Animal Practice and can be read online here: https://www.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jsap.13305. It is open access and can be freely accessed by anyone.  

Reference

1. M Kuijilaars, J Helm and A McBrearty (2021) Development and progression of proteinuria in dogs treated with masitinib for neoplasia: 28 cases (2010-2019). Journal of Small Animal Practice, 62 (8). Available at: https://www.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jsap.13305

The RCVS is inviting veterinary professionals to register for its free new Mind Matters mental health and wellbeing app ahead of its launch early this autumn.

The new Mind Matters Initiative (MMI) Kite App is the result of a collaboration with The Kite Programme. It offers a series of bespoke microlearning modules - known as 'kites' - about mental health and wellbeing. 

Microlearning is a type of learning which delivers content in bite-size modules. It usually combines a mixture of interactive activities, images and videos, which can be worked through in as little as five minutes. 

The first ‘Kites’ available on the app will cover subjects like breathing activities, mindfulness, time management and physical activity for mental health.

New modules will be added over the weeks and months ahead, in response to feedback from users. 

Angharad Belcher, RCVS Director for Advancement of the Professions, said: “Veterinary professionals undertake vital work for animal health and welfare, but the intensity and pressure of their work can take its toll on mental health and wellbeing. Sadly, research shows that compared to the general population, veterinary professionals are more likely to experience mental health distress, including depression and anxiety.

“We recognise how hard it can be for veterinary professionals to fit wellbeing activities into their busy workdays and understand that everyone’s mental health needs are different. By collaborating with The Kite Program, we wanted to create a wellbeing platform that was accessible, flexible and had a range of activities to meet a variety of mental health and wellbeing needs. This app will be another useful tool for the professions, and we are pleased to be able to offer it free of charge.

“We are really looking forward to hearing feedback from the professions about the platform and creating more modules based on their wants and needs.”

The College highlights that users cannot input any personal information into the app and the only data it will hold is a record of active users.

To register for the app, visit: https://www.vetmindmatters.org/mmi-app.

The app will also be demoed at BEVA Congress 2021 (5th-7th September, Birmingham ICC). 

Virbac has launched a new pet food business model designed to help veterinary practices adapt, retain and increase their revenue from pet food sales. 

Virbac points to how the pandemic has caused a fundamental shift in consumer shopping habits, with e-commerce accounting for more than 30% of retail sales in the UK in 2020 for the first time¹.

Alongside the increase in online sales has come an expectation by consumers that all companies should provide a reliable digital service, with 70% saying that they will continue to buy essential goods online post-pandemic².

At the same time, sales of pet food in the majority of veterinary practices have been hit by the need for social distancing.

Through the new model, when pet owners buy Virbac's low-carb, high protein Veterinary HPM dog and cat food from the company's new web store for home delivery, a commission is paid to the practice. 

Remi Mandray, Product Manager at Virbac said: "It’s a win-win for our practices and their clients, who can take advantage of this convenient option to have their pet food delivered to their home, whilst providing the practice with a protected and rewarding business model".

For more information, contact your Virbac Territory Manager.

References

1. Office for National Statistics (2020) How the COVID-19 Pandemic has accelerated the shift to online spending (Online). Available from https://blog.ons.gov.uk/2020/09/18/how-the-covid-19-pandemic-has-accelerated-the-shift-to-online-spending/
2. SalesForce Research (2020) A Survey of 3,500+ Consumers Shows How COVID-19 Will Transform Shopping For the Long Haul (Online). Available from https://www.salesforce.com/news/stories/a-survey-of-3500-consumers-shows-how-covid-19-will-transform-shopping-for-the-long-haul/ 

Eastcott Veterinary Referrals has found an imaginative use for the perspex safety screens introduced at the start of the pandemic: for patient restraint. 

Specifically, they're using them as a sheep race of sorts, for patient restraint during fluoroscopic examinations.

Eastcott says the transparent barrier helps to keep patients as close as possible to the practice’s mobile image intensifier, while also limiting any sudden movement. This significantly improves the quality of images taken and reduces the amount of time taken per examination.

Nicholas Taylor, referral radiographer at Eastcott came up with the idea. He said: “Unlike us humans, animals don’t understand the need to remain still and the process of getting these images was becoming quite challenging and time-consuming. Often the length of the process would make the animal anxious and we would inevitably be going in circles.

"The idea came about when we were discussing how we could replicate the x-ray process in the human world, where machines are often very close to the patient’s body.

"We had a few spare desk barriers in the hospital and decided to give it go. We were so pleased at how easy it made the entire process, reducing the amount of time per exam, improving the quality of pictures and ultimately putting the patient at ease since they can see what is going on around them.”

Andrew Michael Dobson MRCVS has been struck off by the RCVS Disciplinary Committee after it found that he had carried out an act of veterinary certification while off the Register, failed to have professional indemnity insurance, then failed to respond to repeated requests from the College. 

At the start of the hearing the RCVS applied for it to take place in the absence of Mr Dobson, who had failed to respond when informed about the hearing. The application was granted by the DC on the basis that Mr Dobson, by refusing to respond to communications from the College – including by letter, telephone and email – had voluntarily waived his right to attend.

There were three sets of charges against Mr Dobson. The first charge was in June 2018, while he was not on the Register of Veterinary Surgeons, Mr Dobson had carried out an equine pre-purchase examination (PPE) and used the postnominals MRCVS to sign the associated PPE certificate and covering letter.

The Committee found this charge proven after it was presented with evidence of the certificate and covering letter alongside the fact that Mr Dobson had been removed from the Register on 1 June 2018 for non-payment of the annual renewal fee needed to remain on the RCVS Register. He was only restored to the Register upon paying his outstanding fee in late November 2018.

The second charge was that Mr Dobson did not have any professional indemnity insurance (or PII) or other equivalent arrangements in between June 2018 and August 2020. He also failed to provide adequate details of his PII when requested by the RCVS.

The Committee was presented with evidence that Mr Dobson had failed to confirm that he had PII arrangements or other equivalent arrangements in place prior to August 2020 and that he had failed to respond to numerous requests for evidence from the College. On this basis the Committee found the charges proven.

The third and final charge was that Mr Dobson had failed to respond to numerous requests from the RCVS, including: failing to provide written comments on concerns relating to the equine PPE; failing to provide written comments on the concern that he had carried out the PPE and used the postnominals MRCVS while not on the Register; failing to provide details of his continuing professional development (CPD) for the previous three years; and failing to provide copies of his Day Book and/or Controlled Drugs Register. All elements of this charge were found proven when the Committee was presented with evidence of numerous attempts to contact him that went unacknowledged and unanswered.

Regarding the first charge, the Committee recognised that Mr Dobson had not intentionally allowed his registration with the College to expire and that it was down to administrative error. However, it also considered that he had not responded to or taken action upon receiving numerous reminders to pay his fees. It considered that Mr Dobson had therefore acted recklessly in not only allowing his registration to expire but in continuing to practise veterinary surgery while not registered, a criminal act in contravention of the Veterinary Surgeons Act. The Committee therefore found that the first charge amounted to serious professional misconduct.

The Committee also found that the remaining charges constituted serious professional misconduct.

Cerys Jones, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf said: "The respondent demonstrated a pattern of behaviour in not responding, which was sustained and persistent. He asked for extensions of time but did not make good on his assurances that he would provide information. Due to the length of time during which the respondent failed to comply with the requests, as well as the proliferation of issues in respect of which he did not comply, the Committee was of the view that he demonstrated a wilful disregard of the role of the RCVS and the regulatory processes. This was particularly serious in light of the reliance which the RCVS places upon its members to cooperate with providing it with information relating to their professional practice which is relevant to the RCVS’s regulation of the profession.

"There was no harm caused to animals or the public, and the Committee acknowledged that practice circumstances have been made more difficult in general by the Covid-19 pandemic. However… the respondent’s failures to comply were serious and undermined the functions of the RCVS. The Committee was satisfied that the respondent’s failures fell so far below what was expected as to amount to serious professional misconduct."

Having found that all the charges amounted to serious professional misconduct the Committee then considered the most appropriate sanction for Mr Dobson. In terms of aggravating factors, the Committee considered Mr Dobson’s recklessness in failing to renew his registration and practising while it was lapsed, his pattern of not responding to the RCVS, the fact that financial gain was obtained as a result of misconduct, a wilful disregard to the RCVS and regulation, and limited evidence of insight. In mitigation the Committee considered Mr Dobson’s previous good character, a long and otherwise unblemished career, the fact that no animals were harmed and increased demands on time and processes due to Covid-19.

However, taking all of the information into account, the Committee decided that removal from the Register was the appropriate and proportionate sanction due to the sustained and prolonged nature of the misconduct.

Cerys Jones said: “The respondent demonstrated a wilful disregard of the role of the RCVS and the regulatory processes by way of his disgraceful conduct. In addition, his lack of engagement with the hearing process indicates to the Committee that he is not engaging with his regulator and, along with the limited insight and lack of remediation with respect to the disgraceful conduct, this demonstrates a lack of insight into the seriousness of his actions or their consequences.”

The Equine Veterinary Journal (EVJ) and Equine Veterinary Education (EVE) have published a virtual collection of seminal articles from leading lights in donkey medicine and welfare, available open source till the 29th October 2021.

The publishers say that with a global donkey population estimated at around 46 million, it’s imperative for the veterinary profession to stay well-informed about the unique biology and disease susceptibility of this species.

The virtual collection addresses the previous shortfall of pathophysiological information, with articles on pharmacology, diagnostics, disease prevalence and management practices relating to donkeys as working, companion and production animals.

Preventative healthcare is addressed with a study of a companion population of donkeys in the UK and clinicians are encouraged to focus on client education, promotion of vaccination, regular dental care, strategic parasite control programmes and weight management.

Several papers address decision-making around treatment options, emphasising the need for a good understanding of the pharmacology of the available therapeutic agents in relation to donkeys and the pathophysiology of the diseases, as well as the value of pain assessment and control.

Another important aspect of disease detection and management is the availability of accurate diagnostics. Several papers address aspects of diagnostic testing, with emphasis on the caution that must be taken when extrapolating from horses because of the minimal data relating specifically to donkeys.

Donkeys are often described as silent carriers of, or as being more resistant to, infectious agents. Two articles demonstrate that they can in fact develop severe clinical signs when exposed to certain known equine pathogens, raising the importance of surveillance, accurate diagnosis, outbreak management, disease control and clear communication and education.

Less common conditions in donkeys as well as awareness of zoonotic risk are addressed within the collection, emphasising the value of owner-driven reporting as part of a disease surveillance and control programme to inform decision making on relevant interventions.

Professor Celia Marr, Editor of the EVJ, said: “This impressive collection shines a spotlight on the important advances that have been made to donkey medicine and welfare and helps us to identify the research gaps yet to be filled

“By sharing this work, we aim to improve disease prevention and enhance the welfare of donkeys around the world as well as highlight the continued importance of owner education and improve the public perception of this enduring species.”

The virtual issue can be found here: https://beva.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/toc/10.1001/(ISSN)2042-3306.donkey-medicine-welfare.vi 

Boehringer Ingelheim has launched NexGard Combo spot-on, billed as the first and only broad-spectrum parasiticide to treat cats for fleas, ticks, ear mites, roundworms and tapeworms.

NexGard Combo is a systemic isoxazoline-based endectocide designed specifically for cats which contains esafoxolaner, eprinomectin and praziquantel.

The new product provides one month’s protection against fleas and five week's protection against the most common tick on cats, Ixodes ricinus. It also treats the roundworms, Toxocara cati and Toxascaris leonina, hookworms, tapeworms and ear mites, against the last of which Nexgard Combo provides 97.2 to 99.9% efficacy following one treatment¹.

NexGard Combo can be used in kittens from eight weeks of age and 0.8 kg in weight, making it suitable for most kittens at first vaccination. It is available in two pack sizes: small, for kittens weighing 0.8 - 2.5kg and large, for adult cats weighing 2.5 - 7.5kg. For cats weighing 7.5kg or over, an appropriate combination of applicators should be used.

Jackie Sterratt, senior brand manager at Boehringer Ingelheim, said: “We’re excited to add to the successful NexGard range and to help vets treat more cats. We know only one in two cats is treated for fleas² and cats are only wormed on average three times per year³ despite all cats being at risk of fleas and most cats requiring monthly roundworming treatment^{2, 3}, so there is a big opportunity to increase treatment rates and compliance. As the only product on the market to treat fleas, ticks, ear mites, roundworms and tapeworms, NexGard Combo offers a simple solution for cats at risk of multiple parasites."

To support the launch Boehringer has produced a marketing package which includes a kitten support pack, client leaflets, dispensing envelope and parasite risk checker.

For further information, contact your local Boehringer Ingelheim territory manager or phone 01344 746957 (UK) or 01 291 3985 (Ireland).

References

1. Tielemans E, Prullage J, Tomoko O, et al.  Efficacy of a novel topical combination of esafoxolaner, eprinomectin and praziquantel against ear mite (Otodectes cynotis) infections in cats.  Parasite 2021:28.
2. Cooper A-R. et al. (2020). Fleas infesting cats and dogs in Great Britain; spatial distribution of infestation risk and its relation to treatment. Medical and Veterinary Entomology. Doi:10.1111/mve12462.
3. McNamara J. et al. (2018). Survey of European pet owners quantifying endoparasitic infection risk and implications for deworming recommendation. Parasite Vectors;11:571.

Horiba UK has launched over 30 new pathogen PCR tests for its Pockit Central in-house veterinary PCR analyser.

Pockit Central is a benchtop analyser which completes tests in 85 minutes.

The new PCR tests include: Lyme disease, Dirofilaria immitis, Neospora caninum, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Mec A gene for MRSA, IBR and C. difficile. The system has tests tailored to small animal, equine and farm practice, with specialist assays also available for poultry and aquaculture.

The new additions extend the capabilities of the Pockit to more than 190 assays, testing up to 8 pathogens in one run. Horiba says the Pockit is so easy to set up that a laboratory can be up and running within 30 minutes with staff training provided.

Horiba has also published its recent veterinary CPD webinar in which the value of in-house PCR analysis for pathogen screening is discussed with the Head of ESCCAP (European Scientific Council for Companion Animal Parasites) UK & Ireland, in conjunction with the importance of screening imported dogs: The webinar is available to watch on-demand at: https://www.horiba.com/en_en/veterinary/support/webinars/